Time For Us To Clean Up Their Act

Today I offer you the problem and the solution. If we work
together, we can make America a safer place. More than four
thousand of you read this letter. Won't you please take time
to make one phone call, or write to the appropriate party?
Who is at risk? You, your children, your friends and
relatives. Anybody who takes a sip of milk or piece of pizza
or bite of milk chocolate.
America has a problem. Our food is tainted by antibiotics.
Laws are in place to protect us, but enforcement of safety
issues plays second fiddle to political and financial
considerations. Without your help, things will remain the
same.
Here's the story:
Gentocin (sounds like gentle sin) is an antibiotic residue
that remains within animal flesh and body fluids for 18
months. That is why its use is strictly prohibited in farm
animals intended for America's food supply.
Last week, I wrote a column about a book (Killers Within)
that detailed emerging bacterial strains which cannot be
killed by antibiotics because of a long history of use,
misuse, and abuse.
http://notmilk.com/thekillers.html
Recognizing similar problems, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has developed and is coordinating the
National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS),
along with the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In
essence, what we have is a formula that does not work: NARMS
= FDA + USDA + CDC.
Gentocin is commonly given to cows to treat mastitis. The
American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), a 5,000
member organization of veterinarians who treat cow diseases,
has requested that all use of gentocin in food animals
cease. Their request is comical. It is against the law to
use this antibiotic, yet licensed veterinarians continue to
prescribe it.
I recently learned that CDC tested one Pennsylvania
slaughterhouse and determined that of all antibiotics found
in tested samples, Gentocin had been found in nearly 38% of
residues. CDC has a national testing program, and when
antibiotics are found, 30% of the time it's Gentocin.
Violation of antibiotic residue laws is so widespread, that
enforcement of current laws would immediatly close America's
milk and meat industries.
Yesterday, I received this letter from a whistleblower:
http://notmilk.com/gentocin.html
In his letter, the whistleblower wrote:
"In Colorado...despite repeated warnings from their local
vet, (a dairy farm) continues to use the drug Gentocin in
the treatment of mastitis on their milking cows. The vet has
warned them that this drug is not labelled for use in dairy
animals, especially lactating animals, but (the
farmer)...simply laughs it off and says that inspectors no
longer visit his farm."
Please contact FDA and demand that they enforce their laws.
I sent an EMAIL to FDA asking: "Does anybody read or respond
to this email address?" Within five minutes, I received this
response: "Are you the same Robert Cohen from notmilk.com?"
Your EMAIL will be read!:
FDA, Center for Veterinary Medicine
cvmhomep@cvm.fda.gov
Please contact the state of Colorado:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Dan Trimberger
dan.trimberger@state.co.us